


Wedding - The Groomsman

by Moon_Raccoon_exe



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst and Feels, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Spoilers, major ending spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-06-06
Packaged: 2018-11-09 23:31:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11115198
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moon_Raccoon_exe/pseuds/Moon_Raccoon_exe
Summary: After aiding the King of Light in his journey to fulfill the prophecy, a year after his sacrifice for the New Dawn, their companions, with no option left, carry on with their lives.Years into the relationship and now free from their previous duties, Gladiolus and Ignis have come to decide the way they will carry on with their lives: together.On top of the Citadel, the wedding, with a groomsman arriving late, and a promise kept up despite the obstacles.





	Wedding - The Groomsman

It’s been a bit more than a year since light was restored to Eos.

Most of the people of Insomnia have come back and settled down to retake their lives. Along the slow but steady steps of time, they managed to not only clean the mess in which their beloved homeland was turned into after the Niflheim invasion about slightly longer than 11 years ago, followed closely by the daemon infestation brought along neverending nights, but to also rebuild and repair the ruined pieces of their city.

Some of the people, on the other hand, found new homes in the different towns and cities across the land of Lucis and chose to stay there, leaving the past in its place. And like them, there were people from these towns and cities that had found their chance to be welcomed into the capital city of the kingdom.

And life simply went on, just like time: no matter how much of an impact any event can have in the world, time is not stopping there. It’s always leaving everything in its place and moving on for the next to come. 

The city rebuilt, homes and families settled down, and without forgetting the past but not getting stuck in it either, the people of Lucis and all of Eos continued their lives. The youth started going back to classes, lessons, schools. The streets started receiving cars, bikes, people. Stores opened; restaurants followed; the arcade and the bars, from which one could sometimes hear loud Happy Birthday singing.

Because birthday parties came back, just like other celebrations.  
Graduations.  
Weddings.

A little time having passed the first anniversary of the New Dawn, one of these couples have finally decided to get married. They chose to stay in Insomnia not only out of a personal decision but also as a responsability; having stood in the middle of the city during the New Dawn, it somehow, even if just in a symbolic way, became something that was up to them, all of this: bringing life back to Insomnia, welcome the people back, help restore everything, mantain the order.

After all…

_I leave it to you._

So that was what they had to do. Hence, the reason why they have to stay there.

The celebration had long been planned, but it had stayed as a promise between the two of them, and between the two of them and their dearest companion, and a third time between the three of them and their closest mates and relatives, that it would not take place until light would come back to the world.

And it was not a tantrum of a young couple that wanted a nice set of photographs with daylight. 

It was an excuse for a bigger promise behind: the promise of awaiting for their King to return to finally fulfill their goal without leaving anybody behind.

So now, with the light of day finally back and everything settled to order and peace in not only the world but also in the capital city of the kingdom of Lucis, there were no major troubles to finally arrange the preparations for the wedding.

At first it was kept relatively personal among their beloved ones, family and friends. But due to the need of buying some of the required stuff or asking around for certain needs, the rumor started spreading until all of the city knew. And it was no major troubles or uncomfortable: it was simply what they had expected it to be.

When it became known to the rest of the Insomnian people, there were the average people who celebrated the news and then let it be, the youth who celebrated and tried to stay updated through the net and the news, and also the ones with something in their power to offer: the best and the less good of all the chefs and cooks offered the greatest buffet and dinner to have ever been served in a wedding, and most were offering it for free; the best and the less good of tailors started offering their skills to fabricate the best pair of suits to have ever been worn by a couple, and most offered it for free; the best and the less good of musicians started offering their fingers, voices and work to have the best music to have ever played in a wedding, and most offered it for free.

Most offered it for free not only out of kindness, but also out of excitement. Because, what could be a greatest honor but to have their work tasted, worn and heard by two of the three heroes that stood by King Noctis the 114th of his name, savior of all of Eos and the King of Light?

The couple, however, did not show any interest in causing a fuss and even less in showering themselves in these endless gifts, expensive or unnecessary purchases, or people’s exaggerated flatters and compliments. They continued with their own preparations, remaining as much as possible into the family and friends spectrum as their roots of royalty and their photographs in the newest history books allowed them to.

 

And after a few months of preparation, the day has finally come.

Let’s follow the grooms, one by one.

Gladiolus Amicitia, thirty four, invited his closest friends, and made sure that the friends he made outside of Insomnia (and the ones that could and wanted) made it to the capital city in time. Having lost his father a bit past 11 years ago, he asked the closest he had of a fatherly figure to walk him down the aisle when the moment came.  
Cor the Immortal, with no excuses, agreed. Gladio could swear he even smiled a bit when he was asked for it.  
As the person in charge of bringing his ring to him when it would be his moment to ask his beloved one for eternal company, and hence the groomsman, he, of course, did not think twice about it.  
Prompto, his best friend and companion of the most important lapse of his life so far, happily agreed as well. 

When he had invited his friends to the celebration, some of them had found a bit of complications: the hour it was settled to take place was a bit…unconventional. Therefore, it may have taken most of his friends off guard: most, however, agreed nonetheless. Only a few chose to think about it twice and rearrange their schedules or ask the boss at work for the day off. 

“But…why that hour of the day?”

Gladiolus, usually joyful even if rather calm, would appear rather solemn whenever they asked him this question, because it for sure was not asked only once. 

“Because it’s the only time all of our friends can be present”, would be his answer and he would not offer any deeper explanation. With or without it, his friends, most of them loyal to him, would agree regardless of how the hour could mess up with their plans or their day. Because, at a certain level, they had an idea of what he was talking about.

 

Ignis Scientia, thirty three, invited his friends as well. Having lived a much more reserved youth, which was almost in a hundred percent focused whole in somebody else’s life, there were less people he asked to come. And not that he had no friends: it was just that most of the ones he had were also Gladiolus’, so they had already been invited by both of them. 

Having lost his family as well during the Niflheim invasion, he seeked for the closest he had of any sort of family figure. He had thought, before any of the troubles in his life started, that if he ever made it to this day, he would ask his dad (his real dad rather than his blood, biological one), King Regis, the closest he always had to a fatherly figure, to walk him down the aisle. But…

Well. Things usually take an unexpected turn, and those turns left him with no choice but to look for somebody else. Prompto, whom he considered his little brother, had already been taken by Gladio (though as his groomsman), and even despite that, the most appropiate would have had been to have someone older than him for this, more of a father or mother.  
His choice went on for Monica, former Crownsguard and senior to him.

As the person to bring him the ring he would have to give his beloved one when the moment of asking him for eternal company came and hence his groomsman…well, there were a bit of troubles with him. But Ignis managed through it and repaired it: that, however, was what led them to pick such an unnusual hour for the wedding.

On his personal side, however, there were not many people he could think about: all of his life until just the previous year had been entirely focused on his obligations and duties. He did, however, ask some people from his school years and the times he spent outside of the city, and most agreed. And just like the case with Gladio, most of them, having agreed or not, asked the question.

“Why did you choose such a weird hour to celebrate the wedding?”

Ignis, however, had a different answer than his partner. Rather than turning to solemnity (which would have been a bit hard to notice as he, as far of his 33 years of life, has always stayed solemn and royal to the very core of his bones), Ignis showed no major troubles with being questioned. If anything, he smiled very, very subtly.

“Because it’s the only hour my groomsman can attend the ceremony.”

This made most people blink at the unexpected response. Some decided to not question that and just give him their answer to attending or not. Some, on the other hand, would ask deeper into that. But no matter what they asked or what they told him, Ignis gently denied the chance of changing the hour. And not that his friends were upset about it and insisted on him changing it: they were just curious on why Ignis relied so much on what hour his groomsman could attend it.

Because, according to general opinion, it did not have to be a matter of whether the groomsman can or not or wants or not. It’s Ignis’ wedding, so it is _his_ schedules and _his_ choices…not the groomsman’s. Therefore, the guy could have a little heart or brain and just damn change his own schedules instead of making Ignis and Gladio rearrange theirs in their special day. Right? 

But they let go of that and just agreed on going anyway: this was just Ignis being…well, himself. Attending other people’s necessities for over his own, even in his own damn wedding.

 

All prepared, the day has come.

The ceremony is to take place at the roof of the Citadel, open place that has previously witnessed other sort of celebrations. Restored long ago and decorated, friends and family of the couple, aided by assistants, took their time to decorate everything one day previous to the proper ceremony. Not only is the Citadel open for public, like it used to be in the old days of the Lucis Caelum: Ignis and Gladiolus both had their right to celebrate such ceremony in said place due to their roots, both belonging to noble families of the royal world.

People start crowding outside and are welcomed inside as the hour approaches. The grooms have both left to different rooms of the Citadel, each with their respective fatherly or motherly figure and their groomsman, for their appearances to be the last ones and a surprise not only to the crowd but also to one another.

Moon slipping down a side of the ceiling above them and stars gently sparkling with a mute lullabye, the guests start taking their place and softly murmur in friendly conversations in the waiting for everything to begin. Some people sometimes yawn; some others look at the hour. Some others, better prepared for the situation, eagerly talk but keep the voice down: not that there is anybody they could bother if they are too loud, but it still feels that way, what with the hour.

Once the ceremony starts, everybody return to their places and keep quiet. Music gently starts playing, sounding just like their previous conversations: quiet, like they subconsciously fear to wake anybody up even though they are aware everybody is up and in their full senses.

Following the protocol, the closest to the family of the Lucis Caelum, whether they live or not, is first to walk down the aisle. So it is the Amicitia turn.

Former sworn shield to the last of the Lucis kings, Gladiolus has the responsability of appearing first. Like his former title requires him to do, he wears a symbolic sword on the waist [thing that would have happened whether he married Ignis or another person and whether any of the Lucis’ family members were present or not], though it does not ruin the looks of his outfit. 

Formal but not extravagant, Gladio wears a black suit, white shirt underneath, and a dark tie with subtly traced signs of the Kingsglaive uniform. Soles of his shoes, red, like the royal attire color code system says he should. Iris had insisted he would not be ready and ‘entirely handsome’ unless he wore a flower: she chose one for him, of a light purple shade, and softly left it on the right side of his chest.

Cor the Immortal goes by his side, wearing formal and black, but not stealing any of the groom’s spotlight. Arms locked together, both men take their time; Gladiolus with a beaming smile upon his face, waving at friends and family, saying Hi from north to south. Cor, on his part…well, he gently nods as salutation every now and then.

Behind them and carrying a little box with a ring in there, Prompto takes his two minutes of fame crossing the hallway on his own, happy and cheerful like always. Family and friends say hi to him as well, but he had a tough training with himself on how he has to control his impulse to yell Hello at everyone and instead just nods at them: he’s holding Gladio’s ring for Ignis and he sure does not want to drop it and cause a scene, and ruin it.

Once arriving, Gladio roughly takes him in an arm to use his free hand to completely ruin Prompto’s hair. It was possibly the first time in his life he ever combed it properly, but, if Gladio was honest, he preferred the stupid style of his daily life with the blond photographer. So he better ruin it upwards like they both like it best.

After a little laugh with him and after having let go, it is the turn of the partner.

So Ignis appears alongside Monica. He, just like Gladio, in a twin suit, dresses like the royal code suggests he should do: soles red, black outfit in general, and his Kingsglaive themed tie. He did not cover any of his scars, and none of them ever even thought about it: he earned those for his king and, every day, he is prouder he has them.

What he does keep, however, are his visors, which block partly the sight to his most awful injury. But it is not a special thing: it is his everyday visors.

Arm locked with Monica’s, he walks down the aisle at his time as well. He cannot see the people, but he senses them as they greet him. Gentle and formal, he smiles and nods in their direction.  
As former adviser to the last of the Lucis kings, he, however, and unlike Gladio, has no symbolic extra on his clothing. Not one that recalls his former title, that is, but he does have one symbol. There on his chest, on the right side, rests a special flower.

Once he’s walked to the very front, Monica lets go of him. He thanks her kindly and kisses her on the forehead before she parts from him.  
No groomsman walks after them.

People do turn and question this, but they try to keep it quiet. Maybe it is a surprise. Maybe he’s late. A little trouble that keeps him behind. 

As they question this, Gladio welcomes Ignis, and the latter receives him. Both smile at each other in complete silence. Suddenly, there’s no one but the two of them. 

Gladio stares at him like he’s the very same New Day, except much more valuable. Soft stare and the warmest of smiles upon his face, Gladio moves a hand up to softly rest it on his beloved one’s face.  
Ignis looks up at Gladio, and he knows him so well that his stare finds and locks onto Gladio’s without the need to literally see it. He doesn’t need to, however, to know and sense those brown eyes on him. He smiles with honest but warm joy and softly takes one of Gladio’s hands, the one that is not on his face.

After a few moments staring at [and sensing] each other, both widen their smiles and lean in for a hug. The last as just boyfriends. As just fiancés.  
Sometimes, Ignis is overwhelmed by the size and strength of his partner’s arms (and thing is, Gladio’s usually an excited mess of a joyfull ball of happiness, so his hugs are all usually bone wrecking). This time, however, they hold him with a softness he’s never felt before coming from the former sword shield.

And it’s not that Gladio has never been soft with him (indeed, he’s been so for many, many years by now). It’s just that this softness feels different. Much more familiar. Much more intimate. Perhaps it is because this softness does not come from sympathy; does not come from pity; does not come from love; does not come from care.  
This softness comes from the realization that Ignis is now literally part of his family. The realization that Ignis is, by agreeing with this, saying “This is my life, all of what I’ve been through, all of what I saw when I could, all of what I’ve eaten, read, played, said and done. This is me, and I’m giving it to you”. The realization that he’s holding a life that’s becoming part of his, not just a boyfriend anymore.

And the realization of this makes Ignis realize that he’s in the same spot: Gladio is offering him his own life back. Gladio's becoming part of his family. And it makes Ignis hold onto him with a slight warmer touch. 

The hug lasts for some moments before they break apart. In the fear of having ruined his attire, Gladio reaches a hand up to Ignis’ chest to fix his flower, and it’s then when he takes a proper look at it. He smiles at the sight and then chuckles with warmth.

“A Gladiolus flower” the taller of the two says very softly as he fixes it. He watches Ignis smile back at him.

“Iris gave me the idea about five years ago. She didn’t even need to remind me a second time: it immediately became a Must in my things yet to do in life” the blind man says with a slightly playful smile, and Gladio can’t help it but shake the head with a tiny laugh of joy.

“I’m honored” Gladio says lowly to him. “I’d wear an Ignis flower too. If there was one. But…”

“Please, do not ruin the moment.”

“I won’t.”

Both share a little laugh together and get closer again for a second hug, this one being a little more playful than the first.  
Once after they let go of each other and have exchanged greetings (Gladio leaning over to Monica, and Ignis towards both Cor and his little brother Prompto), both stand in their place and the ceremony starts.

When the preacher starts the wedding completely aware that the groomsman for one of them is missing and does not interrupt himself in any moment, people assum that Ignis’ man is not come, in the end, and the preacher has already been warned about it and decides to carry on either way.

The ceremony goes on with no interruptions. It carries on for about thirty minutes before it is time for the groomsmen to make their little intervention and offer the rings.  
Like the closest to the royal family, Gladiolus goes firts. 

Prompto approaches him with a big smile, but not looking like an excited little kid, but rather like a proud little brother (the proud little brother he is to both of them). He opens the box for Gladio and he, with a Thank You, takes the golden ring from inside. Prompto gives him a half nod and backs off, returning to his place. 

Gladiolus gives his vows the way the Lucis system and the Astrals cult suggests him to do. As he recites them he offers a hand up, and Ignis does not need to see to sense it: he gently places his own on top of Gladio’s, feeling the rough, bigger hand underneath his own, taking a careful grip of it. 

“May the Astrals bless me with your answer” Gladiolus starts finishing his vows, looking directly into Ignis’ eyes, both the one that does not see him back and the scarred, closed one that can’t see him either. “Ignis Scientia, will you spend the rest of your life with me?”

“I will” Ignis answers with a soft smile, and even though none of his eyes can see Gladiolus, his answer and emotions are so true that Gladio really feels the sweet stare on him. 

Said that, Gladio smiles at him and only then does he slip the ring onto one of Ignis’ fingers, being careful like he is deactivating a bomb. Once in its place, Gladio brings the other man’s hand up and he leans down, so that he can place a loving kiss to both the hand and the ring. Ignis smiles at the unexpected detail, and it soon becomes his turn.

People know, too, that it is his turn. Some are still expecting for the groomsman to appear; many worry on whether he’s appearing in time; most think it’s Monica who’s holding the box, working as both Ignis’ motherly figure and his groomsmaid of some sort.

“What time is it, Gladio?” Ignis questions calmly.

“The right one, Iggy” Gladio replies with a smile. “Just a minute or two, I’m guessing.”

“I shall wait, then” Ignis says as calmly and as happy as before.

Both stay quiet. So does the preacher. All their friends and family. Only the ones from their external circle of friends wonder what is happening and if they are waiting for someone to arrive.

After some moments, Ignis closes the eyes. Gladio stares at him, and he knows it when Ignis softens his smile: he’s sensing it. Right in time. 

“There he is” Ignis says softly, keeping the eyes closed. 

And so, both of them turn to the direction of the hallway.  
East.

Their sights go over it and to the very edge of the building. Iris, Cor, Monica and Prompto turn to look as well, the latter starting to tear up no matter how well prepared he thought he was for this moment.

At 5 and 45 minutes in the morning, people on the Citadel’s rooftop all turn to look East and watch the moment dawn breaks to welcome the day. The sun, a bit shy for having so much public today, comes out inch by inch, taking its time. It starts illuminating the rooftop step by step; first the edge, and then the floor. It reaches the small arch set at the beginning of the aisle, and it starts going down it like a guest more.

The light of dawn starts greeting the people file by file. Eventually, it reaches Prompto, who smiles at the sensation and the sight, and sighs. 

It soon reaches the grooms.

And when it does, Ignis smiles and closes the eye again. He raises the chin in the direction of the sun and breathes in softly, feeling, sensing. In silence, he keeps a sigh in his chest and he lets the light embrace him some minutes.  
After some more moments like that, his lips curve softly.

“Late like always” he says with a slightly playful smile before chuckling at the time Gladio does. Ignis reaches inside his pocket and takes out a small box. He opens it and takes his ring from there. Monica receives the box to take it away.

Ignis turns East again and, smiling, he shows the ring to the sun of dawn.

“Thank you, Noct”.

His attention returns to Gladio. Ignis offers his hand for Gladio to take it, and so he does, carefully lying his hand on top of Ignis’. When he does, he feels the smaller man trembling subtly. Ignis does not fear the other to notice. Both understand, and none say a thing. 

Ignis has to take some moments. For some of the people in there, it is the very first time they see Ignis, the most sophisticated and controlled person, having troubles and taking his time to speak. His mouth moves once but no sound makes it out. He takes a few moments before he’s speaking this time.

His vows start the complete opposite to what people thought he would do: it’s shaky at first and very quiet. Like he’s scared. But he is not. And everybody understands what the matter really is.

“May the Astrals bless me with your answer” Ignis starts finishing his vows, and even though he had eventually regained his composure, those words are shaky and come out of him like a tower falling down brick by brick. He looks at Gladio with the eyebrows slightly furrowed, and he quickly bites down on his lower lip for a moment, before letting out a shaky sigh. And with it, a tear coming from his good eye and getting trapped in his visors. “Gladiolus Amicitia…will you spend the rest…of your life with me?”

Gladiolus takes some moments. He closes the eyes and keeps a sigh in his chest, trying to keep himself in one piece for the sake of Ignis not breaking down entirely, not yet. 

“I will” he whispers to the smaller man. Ignis blinks a few times with his eye that refuses to stop letting the water out, trying to ignore it, and he reaches his other hand up. Everyone stay dead quiet as Ignis, a bit dumbly at first out of losing the cool of his mind, manages to slip the ring on his beloved one’s finger, even though his hand never stopped to slightly tremble.

Once he’s done so, he looks up at Gladio. Carefully and taking his time, Gladio moves his free hand up to take Ignis’ visors away; he saves them in a pocket and his hand returns to Ignis’ face, this time to wipe away the tears with his thumb. Ignis closes the eye, giving in to a soft, quiet crying as he leans his face into Gladio’s hand. 

Dawn light showers them in silence as they spend some moments like that.

“Who’d have thought, huh, Gladio?” Ignis questions very quietly, eyes closed and his hands on Gladio’s. “Noctis up at this hour.”

“He always hated mornings” Gladio smiles playfully at his beloved one. “But no way he’d miss your wedding, you know?”

“ _Our_ wedding” Ignis reminds him with a smile.

“Our wedding, of course” Gladio agrees in a whisper. “But he’s _your_ groomsman”

Ignis chuckles among his quiet tears and nods.

“He promised” the blind man says keeping the stare down but not letting go of his smile. “And I promised him.”

“Another promise kept by King Noctis” Gladio whispers to him. Ignis nods but he can’t manage to stare back up at Gladio. “And also kept by Noct the dumbass.”

Ignis laughs softly at that and Gladio joins him. He joins in both that little laugh and also in the tears, but none seem to be able to stop smiling. He stares at Ignis some more moments, and then, feeling dawn insisting on him, he brings him closer for a hug.

In silence, quietly and ignoring the world, both hug firmly and softly, breaking down together, but without falling apart thanks to being held in one other’s arms.

Everybody stay quiet, watching.

The light of dawn stares as well.

And the way it feels especially warm today…it feels like Noctis smiling at them.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally poster on Tumblr.  
> Here's the link: http://moonraccoon-exe.tumblr.com/post/159627603478/wedding-gladnis-au-headcanon


End file.
